VIII - Australian Policy Towards China, 1961–1965

Summary

Australian policy dealing with the People’s Republic of China between 1961 and 1965 moved in traditional channels. The coalition Liberal and Country Party Federal Government was in power throughout these years and maintained formal external relationships with little innovation. This aspect of policy was stressed in 1962 by the new Minister for External Affairs, Sir Garfield Barwick, when, discussing Australian foreign policy, he referred to ’the continuity of our major lines of policy’, adding that ’If our policies have been wisely conceived and steadfastly pursued, this continuing change [in international life] will not often call for more than slight corrections of the basic policy course.’ Mr Hasluck, in his first speech to Parliament as Minister for External Affairs on 23 March 1965, stressed in turn that ’I am not introducing any change in the foreign policy of the Government. The foreign policy is that of the Government, not of a person.’